New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-22
MRS. GILCHRIST.
LADY OF THE NEW LIGHTS.

tory Notice by william Michael Rossetu. svo, pp
XIII. 36a scribner q Wexford
To the general reading public Mrs Gilchrist i.
best known through her share In the Life OF
william Blake" left unfinished by her nusoano
and CON pleted and given to the world by her' WIN
the assistance of William and Gabriel Kossetti'
She was also the author of life Of Mary Lamb In
tho Eminent Women aeries and she contributed
to periodicals number Of articles in which taste
forthe popular treatment of scientific subjects was
stroug;y marked. To a smaller circle of dilettanti
shc 10 famous as one of the most ardent and daring
of the disciples of Walt Whitman, whose personal
friendship she cultivated with enthusiasm and
wbose genius she celebrated with dithyrambic
fervor in printed essays and private letters She
was woman of strong character and poeticai
temperament, in literature ard art follower OF
the new lights in philosophy and regon.radlcaily
unorthodox, with genius for friendship, ana Win
many attractive traits which her son but lmper-
fectly indicates in this biographical memorial
She was favorite in that circle which included
tho Rossettis MADDOX Brown, and the Carlyles ;
and in America, where she spent three years (1S16
1870. she knew Emerson, Longfcllow many of
the younger men such as Glider and Scudder, and
of course the co.erie of Whitman The charm OF
this book is in the record of her literary acquaint
ances taken from her letters and those OF her nus
band. She was an admirable correspondent writ
ing not only with vvacity and point. but often
with critical force and high finish Of style
The Gichrsts lived in the next house to the Car
lyes in Cheyne Row. and were very intimate In the
philosophers household, which is painted IN
much brighter light in this memoir than we are
won't to see thrown upon it. Carlyle Is made to sp-
pear almost amiable, and Jane Carlyle is seen full
of afectionate care for her neiGhbor, thoughtful.
Gentle and sympathetic. In the latter part of her
life Mrs. Gilchrist meditated writing something to
clear away the mud that had been heaped upon
Carlyle's grave but the work was never begun.
Some of the anecdotes are extremely interesting
1t will surprise many q reader to hear Carlyle
lamenting that lie had never been taught music.
and recalling the fact that at school the master had
praised the beauty of his voice. He had great
love for the songs OF Burns. Mr.. Gchrst describes
him rehearsing Scots wha haze WI Wallace bed'
with fervor, measured emphasis and tho right
stress on each word On another occasion Carlyle
is exhibited in his favorite position sitting on
footstool by tie fire. smoking aud Dewailing. A
discourse upon Marlborough leads to his blacken-
ing Macaulays face" for flying at great men, as the
canaiUe are ever prone to do and in the course OF
long imaginary address to Macaulay he exclams
" Come out of that, tell you, you big bicckhead-
big AS You look you low. miserable creature you"
The following account of Carlyle in the agonies of
composition is from Alexander Gilchrsts journal:
January, 1900 Annie called on Mrs. Carlyle,
whose husband was in great misery over his
proofs; always is; alters and realtors always and |
won't let them alone Mrs. Carlyle reads them and |
suggests alterations. Carlyle begins by calling her
fool and 90 on, and ends often. after few days:
by saying he thinks he shall strike out so-and-so
This time the proofs seemed to Mrs Carlyle to hang
,nr melancholy friend which impeded the progress.
(IDe passage in particular justifying torture. The
world has ceased to care for Justice III MI. Gar.
a ye made good his position but as it was. the i'm
DR.. ssion would simply be- MIR. Carlyle regrets the
abolition of torture He at iirst angry with her
Justice, did not the distinction betv cen the
guilty and the innocent. The first day MI Carlyle
anne down very cross, in the evening saying that
le had done nothing all day, hang it! had spent all
he afternoon trying to alter that paragraph OF
,ers, and he couldn't. The second day uneasy the
bird day more the fourth sent l.. in post haste
% recall the proofs, that he might strike ont the
n hole of our melancholy friends remarks. Mrs.
arye sorry to find fan and not to see" pleased
wants encouraging
Far pleasan.er reading i, 4 letter from Carlyle,
acknowledging ths receipt of the 1" Life of Blake
md tenderly referring to the death OF Giichris for
whom lie haG a real affection:
DEAR Mrs. CHECKLIST: Il receive with many feel
ngs the Book you send me- after these long delays.
han kfulness is one clear feelng-nOt only to you
rom myself, but to you for the sake OF Another who
8 not now here SOrrOwtul remembrance, need
", -
urious to me as read ON. For the better the Book
g. the shadier grow those dark t,nts of memory;
he shadier, but also the more beautiful, and IN
have been upon the book these three evenings.
With all the leisure could anass for it; and md
r 1sl' ARRANGED lively nttsEnce brew
ty cheerful iucldity and in fact that it is Book
ikelv to provo extensively acceptable, and nave
ne many fine merlts that are in It recognized by the
public. Your own little preface Is all that Is
roper :cou ID but the Queen of these realms have
zen w th hep aUS regards dear Mrs.
iilchrist; and shall wish you and yours you always
Eell. Yours sincerely. L. CARLYLE"
There 10 ore little glimpse OF 1hackcray, with
whom, however, the Gilcnrists seem not to have
,een acquainted:
"Mr Carlyle likes Dickens personally very much,
hough he never reads bis looks .
speaking of Thackeray and his wife, Mrs. Car
vie 70 h %ahI OF in rn
books in The lines. Married Miss Shave IN part TO
axe her away from disagreeable mother. She, -
ar too small thing for great riotous, energetic
nan like Thackersy,-sunk under the anxeties
vent silly after her third confinement.
" The day that The CornhiH was first published
rhackeray set up q pair of handsome grays to his
arriagc. A lady met him; Thackeray said he was
.oing to look at, and buy If he could, Lord
,ai bought it, and added, what good thing 1t
Tas to he 80 rich Shall tell you the secret to
= e., rich ;. answered the n0Se't' set up Maya
Atter tno Oeatn Oh ner HUSBAND MIS- IT,
moved to Haslemere in Surrey, AMI there she
orGed an acquaintance.with Tennyson which soon
lpened into friendship. She adds many little
ouches to the numerous pen portraits of the poet,
describing his affectionate way with children, and
lis observant habits in out-ofdoor rambles Mrs.
iilchrist pointed out to him q number of springs
,ubbing through the sand, and as be was too near
lighted to see them we'll he lay down bv the edge
# the brock with his face almost touching the
vater The laureate would never crticise literary
On the other hand, he was very
particular about false quantities in pronunciation,
which he always corrected, good naturedly but
promptly. The common fault of accounting
cicmatis" OIL The second syllable disturbed him
,rsatly. Tho Tennysons took house near Hasle-
mere, and Mrs. Gilchrist describes luncheon
ls.IA l.o.- hi i